U.S.-Japan LNG agreement sparks environmental concerns

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and the U.S. President have announced Japan’s decision to increase imports of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG), sparking concerns from environmental activists and community leaders.

Opponents argue that LNG extraction and transport cause severe environmental harm, from drilling sites in the U.S. to Japan’s import terminals. Last week, a delegation of U.S. community leaders traveled to Japan to highlight the adverse impacts of Japan’s LNG investments.

For many in the Gulf South, the effects of LNG are impossible to ignore. Manning Rollerson, founder of the Freeport Haven Project for Environmental Justice, describes how his Texas community has been transformed by the industry, calling it a “sacrifice zone.” The explosion at the Freeport LNG terminal, backed by Japanese energy giant JERA, is just one example of the dangers. “Japan must stop buying LNG from the U.S.,” he says, pointing to the environmental and social costs.

Sharon Wilson, who has spent years using Optical Gas Imaging (OGI) technology to document pollution, isn’t buying the narrative that LNG is a “transition fuel.” She has visited LNG plants in Japan and recorded alarming methane emissions. “The industry has deceived you,” she warns Prime Minister Ishiba. “LNG is not a viable solution.”

The human cost of these projects is staggering. In Sulphur, Louisiana, Roishetta Ozane sees the effects every day. “My children suffer from health issues linked to LNG production,” she says. “Meanwhile, leaders like Trump prioritize industry profits over public health. We have to move toward clean energy.”

And it’s not just the U.S. suffering the consequences. Hiroki Osada of Friends of the Earth Japan questions the logic behind Japan’s LNG strategy. He points out that Japanese companies resell large volumes of LNG (more than even Australia, a major LNG exporter) while price volatility leaves both businesses and consumers vulnerable. “Buying more LNG makes no sense economically or environmentally,” he argues.

Despite the backlash, the two countries’ leaders are also eyeing LNG projects in Alaska. But Kate DeAngelis of Friends of the Earth U.S. warns against Japan being used as a financial pawn in Trump’s fossil fuel push. “These projects harm Indigenous lands and don’t benefit everyday people,” she says. “Japan shouldn’t let Trump manipulate it into funding harmful deals.”

With opposition mounting and questions surrounding the financial stability of LNG expansion, the future of these deals remains uncertain. Activists continue to push for policies that prioritize people and the planet’s lifeforce over fossil fuel profits.